Reliable Markers of Iron in Chronic Renal Insufficiency - A Study from North Kerala, India.

Chronic kidney disease is a rapidly increasing condition in India, with majority of the patients diagnosed with anemia. Management of anemia in these patients may remain unsuccessful when the body stores of iron are insufficient. But, assessment and biomarkers of iron status in the CKD patients still remains unresolved. This study aims to assess the iron status and prevalence of functional iron deficiency (FID) in patients in early stages of CKD. A total of 100 CKD patients with stages 3 and 4 were included in the study. Mean Hb levels ranged from 5.9 to 6.9. A statistically significant positive correlation between Hb and serum iron (r=0.223, p<0.05), serum iron and TSAT (r=0.634, p<0.025), and serum iron and TIBC (r=0.416, p<0.025), was noted. About 29% of the patients had FID. Serum iron levels were significantly positively correlated with TIBC and TSAT in FID patients (r=0.161, p<0.025; r=0.622, p<0.025, respectively). Ferritin and %TSAT still remain as an achievable and reliable marker for these patients in India, where most of the patients are from a low economic background.